Arturo Gatti estate trial resumes in Montreal

Andrew Mills/The Star-LedgerBoxing champion Arturo Gatti, who had lived in Jersey City and Hoboken, was found dead on July 11, 2009 at his apartment in Brazil.

MONTREAL — The widow of boxer and former Jersey City resident Arturo Gatti said she was tired of fighting her in-laws today as the sides continued to negotiate a possible settlement over his will.

A sobbing Amanda Rodrigues said it was painful to have to relive their tumultuous relationship, day after day.

The sides have been battling each other in an emotional court case over his $3.4 million fortune. As she returned to the witness stand on the 12th day of the trial, Rodrigues said she’s had enough.

"I’m so tired of fighting," a crying Rodrigues told Justice Claudine Roy at the end of the day.

"I’m tired of leaving (my son) Junior every single day at home, crying, coming here. I don’t want it to be like this."

The sides appeared less hostile to each other today than they had earlier in the trial. Both Rodrigues and the boxer’s brother, Fabrizio Gatti, were more subdued on the witness stand.

The trial had been suspended for a day this week while the sides attempted to reach an agreement.

Carmine Mercadante, a lawyer for the Gatti family, said there could not be a deal until he and his clients finished discussing some issues.

In the absence of a deal, testimony resumed today with Rodrigues being questioned by her own lawyer.

Neither lawyer has commented publicly on the content of closed-door discussions. The fact that the sides expressed willingness to negotiate came as a sudden reversal this week, considering their bitter struggle.

Rodrigues and the Gatti family have been at odds since Gatti’s death at a Brazilian resort in 2009.

"My marriage wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t healthy all the time," she testified today.

"But they can’t take away the love I had for him (Arturo) or the love he had for me."

The boxer’s family does not accept the conclusion of Brazilian authorities that he committed suicide. And they reject the legitimacy of a will, signed just weeks before his death, that left everything to Rodrigues.

They say a 2007 will that leaves his money to his mother and daughter is the legitimate document but thus far they haven’t found a signed copy.

The Gatti family has said it wants the fortune to be split equally between Gatti’s son with Rodrigues and his daughter from a previous relationship.

The Gattis say they don’t want any of the money for themselves.

A resolution to the Rodrigues-Gatti case would not completely end the legal saga over the late boxer’s fortune.

There are outstanding legal cases in New Jersey and Florida as well as taxes that have not been paid.

A wrongful-death suit filed in New Jersey by the mother of Arturo Gatti’s oldest child, Sofia, has effectively frozen all of the assets.

The estate also owes back taxes and faces legal action from other parties.

The judge presiding over the Montreal case has noted that there may be little left once all the legal bills have been paid in urging both sides to consider settling.